Extra Sauce Recipe: Maqluba (Upside Down Lamb and Rice)

Last month, the Jewish Community Relations Council invited their Muslim neighbors to an interfaith iftar dinner at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center. While the diners may have different beliefs, everyone had their fill of fried dough, samosas and tabbouleh  – all kosher and made by Akram Ali-Hassan, a Palestinian Muslim who has worked for Kohn’s Kosher Meat & Deli Restaurant for 20 years. Here, he shares his family recipe for maqluba, a lamb and rice dish that's inverted before serving.

Maqluba (Upside Down)
Courtesy of Akram Ali-Hassan
8 to 10 servings

2 lbs. eggplant
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1½ pounds lamb stew meat, bone-in or boneless
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 cups water
2 cups olive oil, for frying
2 large beefsteak tomatoes, chopped
3 cups uncooked white rice
1 Tbsp. allspice

• Peel the eggplant and cut into 1-inch slices. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and set aside.

• In a large stockpot over medium heat, saute the onion and lamb and saute until the meat is browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes.

• Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer 25 minutes.

• Drain the liquid into another large pot and set aside. Leave the meat in the bottom of the pot and set aside.

• Meanwhile, drizzle a fry pan with a layer of olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the eggplant until golden-brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Place the eggplant on top of the meat in stockpot, then add the tomatoes and rice. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, adding more oil as needed.

• Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the allspice to broth, then slowly pour it over the rice. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer 20 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the water. Remove from heat.

• Remove the lid. Place a large serving dish over the pot and carefully invert and set the serving dish on the counter. Let rest 5 minutes, then remove the pot and serve.

Shannon Cothran is a contributing writer for Sauce Magazine.